Pubdate: Wed, 02 Feb 2005 Source: Edmonton Sun (CN AB) Copyright: 2005, Canoe Limited Partnership. Contact: http://www.canoe.com/NewsStand/EdmontonSun/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/135 Author: Andrea Sands, City Hall Bureau Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/heroin.htm (Heroin) Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?142 (Safe Injecting Rooms) CITY DEBATES MERITS OF SAFE-INJECTION SITE About 15 city workers were jabbed by used needles last year, and some councillors suggested yesterday a safe-injection site might protect staffers. But the city's infection-control officer later told the Sun that of the 30 cases last year in which paramedics and firefighters were exposed to another person's bodily fluids - 15 through needle pricks - only two cases were deemed serious risk. "In the course of the year, we only had two people who were given drugs (to protect them against HIV)," said Margaret McKenzie. "I've only had one other person in five years who had to take the drugs." And a safe-injection site wouldn't reduce the risk to firefighters and paramedics who are in danger because of their jobs, McKenzie added. They're poked with needles while inserting intravenous lines during bumpy ambulance rides or exposed to fluids such as blood or spit while caring for an injured person, McKenzie explained. "None of our needle pokes came from environmental needles, none from strange needles in the community," she said. "They're all related to the care we provide to our clients or patients." The council committee heard that, besides paramedics and firefighters, a couple of community services and waste-management staffers were accidentally stuck by needles in 2004. City officials collected 497 needles from park areas, most of them around homeless camps, said a report to councillors. And staff picked up thousands of needles thrown out with garbage and recycling - between 1,000 and 1,500 every two weeks, the report said. The issue needs further study, said Ward 1 Coun. Linda Sloan, who asked city administrators to compile statistics on the total number of needle jabs over the past five years. "I think all of this should be geared towards determining whether or not, departmentally, we need to give support to a safe-injection site within the city, because of the risk that it poses to our employees," Sloan said. "I think there's a benefit to doing that." Ward 6 Coun. Dave Thiele - who agreed a safe-injection site is worth exploring - noted a "significant number" of needles are discarded in the city beyond what staff are finding. The Streetworks needle exchange hands out about 850,000 needles in a year, noted Kate Gunn, co-ordinator of the safer cities crime-prevention program. About 90% of those needles are returned, and about 14,000 used needles were collected in 10 drop boxes around the city over the past two years. But Ward 5 Coun. Mike Nickel said outside yesterday's meeting councillors shouldn't look to a safe-injection site for a quick fix. "I'm going to fight this. I just think it's wrong," said Nickel, who noted the city is banning people from smoking in bars "but we'll tell them where to go to shoot up some heroin." - --- MAP posted-by: Derek